1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of electrical connectors, and particularly to electrical connectors used in small form-factor pluggable (SFP) transceivers that provide bi-directional transmissions of data between electrical interfaces and optical data links for networking applications, wherein the connectors are generally used for receiving electronic components such as daughter boards and electrically connecting said electronic components with circuit substrates such as mother boards.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various international and industry standards define transceivers that provide bi-directional transmissions of data between electrical interfaces and optical data links for networking applications. One type of transceiver developed by an industry consortium is known as the small form-factor pluggable (SFP) transceiver. A correlative article is found in Taking the NETWORK to the Next Level (Connector Specifier, February 2002). Pertinent examples of such transceivers are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,524,134, 6,517,382, and 6,478,622. Normally, the transceiver is mounted on a mother board of a piece of host equipment such as a network switch, a router, a server or a storage device. The transceiver can receive electrically encoded data signals, and convert them into optical signals which are then transmitted over the optical data link. The transceiver also can receive optically encoded data signals, convert them into electrical signals, and transmit the electrical signals to an electrical interface.
Generally, a transceiver includes a parallelepiped-shaped metallic shielding cage. A receptacle is mounted in a front portion of the cage for providing a mating interface for a transceiver module. A daughter board is mounted to a rear of the receptacle, and extends rearward in the cage. An electrical connector is mounted in a rear portion of the cage, for receiving a rear portion of the daughter board. The connector comprises an insulative housing, and a plurality of electrical contacts received in the housing. The contacts are exposed out of the cage and electrically connected to a mother board. The connector thus electrically connects the daughter board with the mother board. The daughter board can convert electrically encoded data signals into optical signals. The daughter board can also convert optically encoded data signals into electrical signals.
However, in the above-mentioned transceiver, the contacts are electrically connected with the mother board by surface mount technology (SMT) or through hole (TH) technology. This increases the difficulty of assembling/disassembling the transceiver to/from the mother board. The contacts are insert-molded in the housing. If one of the contacts is damaged, the connector must be disassembled from the mother board and discarded. This increases the costs of using and maintaining the transceiver.
Additionally, with ongoing developments in the electronics industry, requirements for transmission performance of transceivers are becoming more demanding. It is now commonly required that the transceiver has two or more mating interfaces to receive a plurality of transceiver modules simultaneously. Therefore, an electrical connector used in the transceiver needs to electrically connect a plurality of daughter boards with a mother board simultaneously.
In view of the above, a new electrical connector used in a transceiver which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired.